The White House has stressed that a rocket launch by North Korea would be in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Friday that the U.S. believes such a launch would be provocative and would be violating U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Without elaborating on the issue further, Gibbs said Washington continues to maintain the goal of a denuclearized North Korea and looks to work with allies to ensure that it happens.

North Korea has publicly announced that it plans to launch an experimental communications satellite between April fourth and eighth. The U.S., South Korea and Japan believe it might be a cover for a long-range missile test.